Representative
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

RE: Support Non-Proliferation Treaty Enhancement Resolution of 2005

Dear Representative ,

I strongly urge you co-sponsor H.Con.Res. 133, the "Non-Proliferation Treaty Enhancement Resolution of 2005," a critical bi-partisan resolution that calls for action in 10 major areas of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament to strengthen the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The NPT was built on a basic bargain: the non-nuclear weapons states agreed to forego developing or otherwise acquiring nuclear weapons in exchange for a commitment on the part of the nuclear weapons states to end the nuclear arms race at an early date and to engage in “good faith” negotiations to achieve nuclear disarmament. For the treaty to succeed in its purpose, both sides of the bargain must be fulfilled.

In order to strengthen the NPT, we must build a stronger and more equitable nonproliferation and disarmament regime on a global scale. With a few notable exceptions, the non-nuclear weapons states have kept their end of the bargain. However the nuclear weapons states, particularly the United States, have not shown much willingness to fulfill their disarmament commitments. Both sides of the bargain are equally important and mutually reinforcing. Preventing nuclear proliferation cannot be guaranteed without nuclear disarmament, and nuclear disarmament cannot succeed without preventing nuclear proliferation.

This is a crucial time for the NPT. Negotiated and verifiable solutions to the proliferation issues the world faces today can be achieved only with a demonstration by the US and other nuclear weapons states of the political will to meet their own nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation obligations.

H.Con.Res. 133 states that "sustained leadership from the United States is essential to implement existing legal and political commitments established by the NPT and to realize a more effective global nonproliferation system," and “the United States and other countries should pursue a balanced and comprehensive set of initiatives to strengthen the global nuclear nonproliferation system, beginning with the NPT Review Conference in 2005.”

For the sake of the future security of our nation and the world, please reaffirm US support for the NPT and a balanced and comprehensive program of action on nonproliferation and disarmament by co-sponsoring H.Con.Res. 133.